680 - Webinar No Shows?; 1,000th Registration for Learning 2011
August 30, 2011 Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - August 30, 2011.
#680 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,434 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2011 - Over 1,008 Registered Already!
1. Webinar No-Show Rates?
2. 1,000th Registration for Learning 2011!
1. Webinar No-Show Rates? One of the “dirty” secrets of the learning world is the high rate of no-shows for live virtual events like webinars. Some organizations report no-show rates as high as 40% to 60%. In other words, for every 10 people who pre-register for a webinar, 4 to 6 do not attend live. Some of the factors include:
* Life Gets Busy: When business realities change, attendance at a live webinar is often seen as less important and individuals or their managers drive the no-show decision.
* Watch it Asynchronously: A number of people decide that they were not planning to actively participate in the live discussion, so why not watch the streamed version later (and even be able to use the fast forward feature that is missing on the live feed)?
* No Consequences: The no-show rate goes DOWN when there are consequences, either in terms of certification, lost tuition or peer/manager comments. The rate goes UP when the participant’s absence has no ramifications.
* Value Against Time: When participants feel that the ratio of total information shared to time spent will be low, they make a decision to skip the webinar. I signed up for a one-hour briefing and then realized that I could read the author’s PDF and get almost as much information in 5 minutes.
* Outcome Objectives: I have watched few webinars framed as instructional events with clear outcome objectives. Rather, a webinar is often framed as a content flow or even a thinly-masked sales pitch for a product/service. As the outcomes are clearer and more valuable to the learner, the no-show rate goes down.
* We Need Creative Designs: When webinars first started, they were mirroring the classroom, emphasizing PowerPoint and a few questions. As we have added video and other functionalities, it is time to experiment with very different webinar designs, emphasizing interaction, collaboration and project-based learning. Many people no-show because of the “brand” of the webinar, which can be altered with creative design approaches.
Most organizations have accepted the no-show rate and even book 40% fewer lines/licenses for an event. We would love to hear from Learning TRENDS readers about the no-show rates your organization experiences and your thoughts/strategies. We will compile these without attribution and publish them next week. Send a short note to meghan@masie.com
2. 1,000th Registration for Learning 2011! We are delighted to announce that the 1,000th colleague has registered for Learning 2011. Nancy Nagdeman is a Supply Chain Curriculum Manager at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Vermont. Welcome, Nancy, and we look forward to learning with you in Orlando in November.
Save money by using the Advanced Registration Discount at http://www.learning2011.com
Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com
MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning 2011 - Nov 6 to 9, 2011 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com